1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides an improved combination of a conveyor system and a transferring conveyor system for transferring articles from the conveyor system to a branch conveyor system. More specifically, this invention contemplates a novel means for extracting rotary power from a passing cable and transmitting this rotary power to a transferring conveying system within a conyeyor system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,675 by Turnbough teaches a cable driven transferred conveyor wherein the cable that drives the main conveyor, or which may be driven thereby, is used to drive the transfer conveyor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,942 by Shepherd teaches conveyors operated by the power from a cable wherein the conveyor may be driven by the cable operated at an angle so that the conveyor may allow articles to be moved through a corner such as a 90.degree. turn, or transferred and driven by another conveyor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,404 by Fleischauer, et al discloses a curved roller conveyor wherein a driven shaft has cables attached thereto and engaging selected ones of the rollers to provide power to the same for moving an article carried thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,789 by Werntz discloses a belt-driven roller conveyor having eccentric brackets distributed along the length of the conveyor to provide local drive variations of power applied to the rollers. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,833 by Fleischauer, et al, discloses a controlled slippage conveyor wherein a shaft drives a plurality of cables engaged to the rollers to provide a variable drive between the input shaft and the rollers themselves. None of the foregoing prior art teach or suggest the means and process for extracting rotary power from a passing cable of this invention.